Governing by loyalty, and the human cost

His health department reversed the CDC’s finding that vaccines don’t cause autism, then canceled half a billion dollars in vaccine research.

To win confirmation as health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. promised Senator Bill Cassidy, a physician and the Republican whose vote sealed it, that he would not undermine vaccine science. Within the year, Kennedy’s department had the CDC revise its decades-old position that vaccines do not cause autism, now calling that consensus “not an evidence-based claim,” and in August 2026 it canceled roughly $500 million in mRNA vaccine research and began winding the program down. Cassidy called the changes deeply concerning. Public health experts warn the moves will drive vaccination rates down and cost lives.

SourcesRFK Jr.’s moves on vaccines, tracked (U.S. News) · A year of health policy under RFK Jr. (PBS) · HHS rewrites the CDC vaccine committee (CNN)

Named hereRobert F. Kennedy Jr.

His health department reversed the CDC’s finding that vaccines don’t cause autism, then canceled half a billion dollars in vaccine research.
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